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This study examines the longitudinal comparability of measurements of nationalism and constructive patriotism across 22 countries during the period between 1995 and 2003. Using multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA) and data from the International Social Survey Program (ISSP), I assess configural and metric invariance -- necessary conditions for the comparability of correlates of the concepts over time, and scalar invariance -- a necessary condition for mean comparison over time. Thus, the current contribution has the principal objective of testing whether two aspects of national attachment, nationalism and CP, are equivalent over time. Subjecting their measurements to such a test may enable researchers to meaningfully estimate change over time. Before conducting the empirical test, a brief review of the literature is presented. Adapted from the source document.

Studies on national identity differentiate between nationalistic attitudes and constructive patriotism (CP) as two more specific expressions of national identity and as theoretically two distinct concepts. After a brief discussion of the theoretical literature, the following questions are examined: (1) Can nationalism and CP be empirically identified as two distinct concepts?; (2) Is their meaning fully or partially invariant across countries?; and (3) Is it possible to compare their means across countries? Data from the International Social Survey Program (ISSP) 2003 National Identity Module are utilized to answer these questions in a sample of 34 countries. Items to measure nationalism and CP are chosen based on the literature, and a series of confirmatory factor analyses to test for configural, measurement (metric), and scalar invariance are performed. Full or partial metric invariance is a necessary condition for equivalence of meaning across cultures and for a meaningful comparison of associations with other theoretical constructs. Scalar invariance is a necessary condition for comparison of means across countries. Findings reveal that nationalism and CP emerge as two distinct constructs. However, in some countries, some items that were intended to measure one construct also measure the other construct. Furthermore, configural and metric invariance are found across the full set of 34 countries. Consequently, researchers may now use the ISSP data to study relationships among nationalism, CP, and other theoretical constructs across these nations. However, the analysis did not support scalar invariance, making it problematic for comparing the means of nationalism and CP across countries.

"The study reported in this paper assesses the fit of a 21-item instrument measuring values in the second round of the European Social Survey (ESS) to the theory of 10 basic values on which it was based (Schwartz 1992). In particular, the measurement invariance of this instrument for studying value priorities across nations and over time was investigated. In the first part of the study, using multi-group confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA) of data from the second ESS round, configural, metric, and scalar invariance of the values are assessed across 25 countries. Metric invariance is a necessary condition to insure equivalence of the meaning of factors and a precondition for comparing values' correlates. Scalar invariance is a precondition for comparing value means. The MGCFA did not support configural and metric invariance across 25 countries. After reducing the number of countries to 14, the MGCFA supported metric invariance of a model with seven distinct values, the same values identified with data from the first ESS round. These value measurements may now be used by researchers to study relationships among values, attitudes, behaviour, and sociodemographic characteristics across the 14 nations. Comparing national value means may be possible only across a smaller set of countries where scalar invariance holds. In the second part of the study, metric and scalar invariance were established between the first and the second rounds of the ESS in each of 19 countries separately. Value means may be compared for each of the countries between the first and second ESS rounds (2002-2003 and 2004-2005, respectively)." (author's abstract)

It is often assumed that habits constitute an important component in human behavior. However, since the beginning of the century many sociologists have overlooked their role in explaining behavior. In this article we are testing empirically the completeness of an economic model made by Stigler and Becker to explain the effect of habit on behavior in a new context. According to the model habits are economically efficient in many cases. However, when an individual is faced with a permanent change in the environment, behavior is not determined by habits, but by the amount invested in information on the best options. We collected data from a field experiment on travel-mode choice with an intervention program to change the behavior of people moving to a new town. The intervention included information on available public transportation. Habit was measured by the subject's judgments of the likelihood that using public transport will take place in different kinds of situations. Theory was confirmed by the empirical data: there was no effect of habits on behavior in the new context. People in the intervention group used public transportation more often. However, search for information prior to the move had no effect. Some socio-economic variables had an additional effect on behavior in contrast to theory. People with a car at their disposal and those with higher education used the car more often.

Równoważność pomiaru konstruktów mierzonych online i offline jest warunkiem porównywalności zebranych danych. Umożliwia akumulację wiedzy uzyskanej na podstawie badań przeprowadzonych tymi dwiema różnymi metodami oraz łączenie danych zebranych tymi sposobami do dalszych analiz. Głównym celem artykułu jest prezentacja procedury testowania równoważności pomiaru w programach Amos i Mplus. Procedurę prezentujemy w kolejnych krokach testu równoważności: 1) specyfikacja modelu, 2) identyfikacja modelu, 3) estymacja i ocena modelu i 4) modyfikacja modelu.

This article discusses and empirically tests the relations between German language proficiency
and national identification with Germany among first-generation immigrants in Germany. It presents three
theoretical arguments: (i) language proficiency positively affects national identification; (ii) contrastingly,
national identification positively influences language proficiency; and (iii) there is a reciprocal relationship
between both constructs. To test these potentially contradictory claims empirically, we use data on firstgeneration
immigrants in Germany measured in four waves (1997, 1999, 2001, and 2003) from the German
Socio-Economic Panel study. Language proficiency is operationalized with the variable proficiency in
German language. Hypotheses are tested using autoregressive cross-lagged structural equation models.
Findings demonstrate an effect of language proficiency on national identification among immigrants in
Germany. However, data provide no support for an effect in the other direction.

This paper emphasises the importance of assessing measurement equivalence when using cross-national and longitudinal surveys. We illustrate how to test for measurement equivalence using multiple group confirmatory factor analysis and clarify under what conditions both meaningful comparisons of construct means and relationships between constructs are possible. Using data from the International Social Survey Programme, empirical applications dealing with attitudes towards welfare policies are provided to illustrate the procedure. Adapted from the source document.

"The Schwartz theory of basic human values has promoted a revival of empirical research on values in cross-cultural, social, and personality psychology. A central topic in the application of values is comparing them across cultures. This study examines the measurement invariance of the full 40-item version of the Portrait Values Questionnaire (PVQ) as compared to the 21-item version as applied in the European Social Survey (ESS). The research was carried out on a total sample of 1,204 individuals in Poland and Germany. Measurement invariance was tested using two-group confirmatory factor analyses. Analyses revealed that all the values measured by the PVQ-40 displayed not only configural and metric but also partial scalar invariance for all 10 values with the exception of the stimulation value, thus allowing the mean comparison of nine out of the 10 postulated values. However, the 21-item version achieved partial scalar only for seven values. The authors conclude that the PVQ-40 is more appropriate for cross-cultural research." (author's abstract)